Meet ILL AL

Today we’d like to introduce you to ILL AL.

Hi ILL AL; we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does The Beatcast’s story begin?
During the pandemic, many individuals in the creative industry, such as DJs and live musicians, found themselves without work. Fortunately, I had maintained employment by transitioning away from full-time music in 2011 to work as an instructional technologist. However, a friend of mine, a working DJ, had his career abruptly cut short. During this period of inactivity, he began a personal challenge in beat production using samples and shared his creations on Instagram. Inspired by his initiative, I contacted him and asked for his assistance in setting up my beat production equipment again. I had been distanced from the creative process for nearly a decade. During our conversation, he shared the significant impact of the pandemic on his income. With venues closed and people needing help to gather for music, DJs faced limited options. I suggested we start a podcast and open up his beat-making challenge to a wider audience with more structure, potentially generating income with support. We organized and launched this endeavor. We completed 52 episodes, one per week, starting with approximately 10 participants, mainly from our local area. We quickly gained over 80 producers from around the world, including London, Canada, Japan, Australia, France, Istanbul, and across the United States. Our main platform for engagement was Instagram, and we interviewed guests and reviewed beat submissions on Twitch, using YouTube to archive our previous episodes.

As my friend transitioned into a new career, thanks to our initial work, I continued into a second season and established The Beatcast, LLC. What I’ve discovered as we enter our fourth season is that what we initially conceived as a way to stay creative during the pandemic, possibly generate income for a friend, and reconnect with peers has transformed into a powerful global community of like-minded musicians who continue to participate long after the world reopened. Within The Beatcast, hundreds of producers are forming meaningful, supportive relationships. I’ve received messages from incredibly talented individuals on the brink of giving up on music but found a sense of family and renewed purpose within our community. We affectionately refer to ourselves as The Beat Hawks and The Beat Hawks reignited my passion for making music. I’ve realized that the initial motivation for starting this endeavor was the catalyst for a more profound purpose. The “business” aspect has naturally followed as a necessary byproduct.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As with any endeavor, most of the obstacles will be found within yourself. Self-doubt, impostor syndrome, etc. Once you hurdle those little “should” voices of why you should not, you’ll only be left with, why not? Things have been pretty smooth; having the right intentions has attracted the right people. We have a great team and an amazing community of supporting participants.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I spent many years touring as a recording artist across the United States before taking a break to focus on family. During that period, my primary focus was on writing and recording, although I also frequently took on roles as a producer and sound engineer for other artists. As mentioned earlier, founding The Beatcast and Sunday School Beats gave me a unique opportunity to rekindle my passion for beat production. Since then, I’ve released two instrumental albums, “Still Alive” and “Good Problems,” available on Spotify and Bandcamp. My production style is characterized by a gritty, heavily compressed, and raw approach reminiscent of the golden era of hip-hop. In my studio work, I rely on Native Instruments MK3 and Komplete M32, while I use a Roland SP404 MK2 for live performances. I take solace in the fact that my music is intrinsically linked to the reason I started on this path in the first place – because it’s fun. Music has always been a source of happiness and escape for me, and I try to infuse that sense of enjoyment into everything I write.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the interdependence of humanity. It underscored the fact that people need each other not just for practical and material support but also for emotional well-being, resilience, and progress. It reminded us that our collective strength and cooperation are vital during times of crisis, reinforcing the age-old wisdom that we are indeed stronger together. For myself and many of us, The Beatcast community helped fill that need for connectivity and creativity.

Contact Info:

• Website: thebeatcast.com
• Instagram: @ill_al_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illinalan/
• Twitter: @The_Beatcast
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBeatcast

Image Credits
Photos: J. Nguyen, Painting by Abe Zucca